The Rev. Elwood W. Reitz

The Reverend Elwood W. Reitz, 90, of Allentown, formerly of Sellersville and West Chester, passed away in Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest on Friday, January 13, 2012. He was the beloved husband of Delphine O. (Hoover) Reitz for 66 years.

Born in Leck Kill (Northumberland County), he was the son of the late William O. and Flora (Brown) Reitz.
Educated in Upper Mahanoy Township schools, he later was graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1942.

Pastor Reitz received a Master’s Degree in Theology in 1945 and a Master’s of Sacred Theology degree in 1948 from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He was ordained in February 1945.

His first call was to Zion Lutheran Church, at Leacock in Lancaster County. He next served from 1950 to 1962 at St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sellersville. During his tenure there, the new Fellowship Hall and Educational Wing were added, and the sanctuary interior was redesigned with a new pipe organ.

A leader in the establishment of the Lutheran Community at Telford, Pastor Reitz laid the cornerstone for its first building in 1961.

From 1962 until his retirement in 1984, Pastor Reitz served Calvary Lutheran Church in West Chester, where he supervised the addition of a large educational and office building. In 1967, he was a driving force in the establishment of Advent Lutheran Church in east West Chester.

Pastor Reitz participated in summer studies at Gettysburg Seminary, Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and Christ College in Canterbury, England. At Canterbury he sang in the Cathedral Choir, while hosting the Archbishop of England. He also attended advanced studies at the Vatican and in Vienna, Austria and participated in study tours of cathedrals in England and France.

Active in community, civic and religious organizations, in 1960 Pastor Reitz was elected Dean of the North Penn District and was appointed by former Governor Leader as a member of the Bucks County Board of Public Assistance, serving as its president from 1960-1962. A member of the West Chester Rotary Club for 29 years, he served as president from 1980-1981 and received the coveted Paul Harris Award.

He served on the boards of the West Chester Community Center, the United Way of Chester County, the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and as its chairman. Pastor Reitz was elected three different times as President of the West Chester Ministerial Association. He served the church-at-large as a member of the Synodical Executive Board and as a delegate to the National Church Conventions in 1960 and 1962, forming the new LCA.

After retirement, Pastor Reitz worked as an interim pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church, Downingtown and as a visitation pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Coatesville. He also served as supply pastor for many congregations in both Southeast and Northeast Synods of the ELCA. In 2011 he celebrated his 66th year of ordination.

An avid tennis player for 60 years, Pastor Reitz won the Senior Singles Championship in Chester County several times and competed in the State Finals in 1990. An enthusiastic traveler, he visited twenty-two national parks in the U.S. and toured Israel, India, and Russia for the 1000th anniversary of Christianity there. He also served as a travel host and organizer for several overseas group tours, including to the Passion Play in Oberammergau and to Italy, Germany, the Scandinavian countries, England and Scotland.

Since 2007, Pastor and Mrs. Reitz had resided at Luther Crest Senior Living Community, of Allentown, where he enjoyed being the bass vocalist in the "LC Four Quartet," giving numerous local concerts.

In addition to his wife, Pastor Reitz is survived by his three daughters: Doris Ann Gross, and her husband, Charles, of Edgewater, MD; Carol Jean Reitz, of Ardmore; Marybeth Schneider, and her husband, Timothy, of Greensboro, NC; five grandchildren: Dr. Erica Gross of West Hartford, CT; Matthew Schneider and his wife, Jana, of Roanoke, VA; Andrew Schneider and Michael Schneider, both of Santa Barbara, CA; Emily Schneider, of Grantham; and a brother, Chester L. Reitz, and his wife, Peggy, of Lititz.

His memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at 2:00 P.M. in Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 730 South New Street, West Chester, PA 19382.

Interment was held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Luther Crest, 800 Hausman Road, Allentown, PA 18104 for the new Memory Care Unit or Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 730 South New Street, West Chester, PA 19382.